A Twist of Fate
by KC87
Summary: Ben believes he's the last Jedi until there's a new awakening. Or, in which Luke Skywalker never gave up on Ben Solo and trained him in the ways of the Force.


_**Disclaimer:**_ _I don't own Star Wars or any of its characters. This is solely written for fun._

 _I always wondered what would happen if Kylo Ren never turned to the Dark Side, and with the release of The Last Jedi, I was given a little bit more insight what might have been. This is a fic that's always been on the back of my mind, but I always felt like I needed to wait until we learned a bit more about the characters before starting this. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think._

 ** _A Twist of Fate_**

" _You are the last Jedi, Ben. You are all that's left of us now."_

His uncle's words echo in his mind as he lands the stolen Tie Fighter on Jakku. It's as barren and bland as he had imagined it would be. Ben looks to the sand dunes through the windshield. It would seem that General Hux's forces have lost him now. It'd be best to land on the outskirts of the town than to make his presence known to all that live on Jakku. Lor San Tekka and the Resistance branch on Jakku have all been wiped out. The First Order will be crawling all over Jakku now within days.

Ben thinks back to the massacre Phasma led. He remembers a Stormtrooper pointing a blaster to him. There was a slight hesitation before the Stormtrooper lowered his blaster. Ben wonders if that man was the presence he had felt earlier. There's been an awakening here. There is _another_. He just needs to find this person before Snoke does.

Ben sits back in his chair. He can feel tingling in the back of his mind at the thought of Snoke. Ben tenses as soft whispers fill his mind. He can feel that pull and that void of emptiness. _No, not now_. His eyes snap shut. He must resist. He must fight this until he finds who he is looking for.

 _Ben…_

An echoing whisper calls his name. Ben can feel all of his fears, all of his regret — _all of his guilt._

 _Ben…_

The whisper calls out to him again. Ben clenches his fists as he resists the pull. He pictures Uncle Luke in his arms. " _You are all that is left of us now_." He clings to that last memory of Luke as he fights against the dark void in his heart.

 _Kylo Ren…_

He can hear Snoke's voice clear in his mind. Ben leans back in the seat of his stolen Tie Fighter. He closes his eyes for only a second. When he opens his eyes, he sees Snoke hunching over him. He can see all the twisted deformities on Snoke's face. Ben looks directly into his eyes as his eyes narrow at Snoke with defiance.

"I am not Kylo Ren!" he insists. "I am Ben Solo!"

A sinister smile emerges on Snoke's lips. " _It's not too late. You have the potential to be greater than even your grandfather…"_

Ben feels Snoke reach out to him. Ben shuts his eyes. He thinks of Uncle Luke, he thinks of his mother, and even his father. He searches for _something_ to fight this attack on his mind. He can feel the presence from Jakku. He can feel such light in this single person. _Hope_. Ben latches onto that presence and shuts his eyes.

Ben opens his eyes. He's alone in the Tie Fighter. He releases his fists and looks down to his palms. His fingers are shaking. He searches the console until he finds the lever to release the front hatch. The windshield opens with a swish. Ben crouches as he shifts out of the Tie Fighter. His left hand grips the top of the windshield as he looks down at the sand beneath him.

Ben leaps from the Tie Fighter. His knees sink into sand as he falls forward. Ben places one hand on the ground, and he pulls himself to his feet. He dust off his brown robes and looks forward. It shouldn't be too far from the small outpost he saw while flying the Tie Fighter.

Ben shuts his eyes and focuses. He can feel the raw power of the force resonating. The presence is close. He walks towards the outpost he saw from above. There's a spark of hope. He can feel the raw energy emitting from this person. Ben latches onto that energy to clear his anger towards Snoke. He feels Snoke's presence fade. Ben clings to the energy as if it is his last lifeline. He focuses on the owner of such strong untapped energy. The energy is so pure and uncorrupted.

Ben's chest constricts and his limbs become tight. He takes in this person's presence and feels a rush of energy. Ben envies this person — to be so untainted, _to be so good…_

Ben holds on to the energy a bit longer. Snoke feels so far from him now. He _needs_ this person. He longs to be near the owner of this energy — to feel such light. The force is strong with this person — much like Uncle Luke. _If he could just be a little bit closer…_

Ben walks through the sand. His hand grips his lightsaber as his eyes surveys his surrounding. The desert is so empty and barren. He tries to imagine how anyone could live in such conditions and remembers that Luke had grown up on a planet similar to Jakku. Ben wonders how Uncle Luke had lived in such conditions for so long. He's only been on this planet for mere minutes. He's already sick of the heat, but most of all, he's sick of all the sand.

Ben reaches the top of the sand dune. He looks down at the outpost below. He feels the presence pull him closer. _He's so close now_. Ben holds his arms out to steady himself as he slides down the sand dune. Ben steadies his balance upon he reaching the bottom of the sand dune. He closes his eyes and focuses. He can feel this person's power resonate. The owner of this power is in this outpost.

Ben walks toward the outpost. He focuses, trying to find that fleck of light among the dreck. He can feel a pull. His feet move forward as if they were on autopilot. His heart is pounding against his chest as he gets closer and closer. He can feel the overwhelming draw to the light. This force user — whoever it is — is far closer to the light than he's ever been. He feels envy deep in his soul. If only he could have been like this one person — _maybe, just maybe_ — Luke Skywalker would still be alive.

The presence is so close now. Ben looks forward. He sees a girl in grey. She's standing tall with her back to him. Her hair is styled in three vertical buns. In her left hand is a staff. She pivots on her right foot, allowing Ben looks upon her face for the first time. She looks directly at him. Her eyes seem to soften as they connect with each other for the first time.

Her pace is slow as she steps towards him. Her eyes look directly into his as she stands in front of him. She's searching his eyes, confused but also curious.

" _Do I know_ …" she pauses and looks up to him. "Have I met you before?"

He looks to her. "We haven't met, or...at least I don't think we have."

The girl's eyes lower from his. He can feel her disappointment. Her eyes look to her boots as she toes the sand with left foot. " _I_...I'm sorry to bother you. I should be on my way…"

He senses a tinge of sadness deep within her. She walks by his side. Ben takes her wrist in his hand. "You aren't bothering me."

There's a spark that seems to ignite when they make physical contact for the first time. The girl is caught between fear and hope. There's a feeling of hesitation. She's not sure if she should be apprehensive or trusting. Her green eyes study his as if she's trying to search his mind for answers.

" _Who are you?_ " she asks.

The girl's sharp eyes are looking directly into his. Stray strands of her hair wave in the wind. Her lips part as she holds his gaze with such intensity.

"I can show you," he says. "Is there something you want? It can be something simple."

The girl breaks eye contact as she looks down. He can feel shame from her. He releases his hold on her wrist. Her eyes raise to his. He can still feel all of her shame as she looks up to him.

"I…" she pauses, breaking eye contact for a mere second. "It's been a day since I've had food."

It's an easy request to fulfill. Ben gestures his arm outward. "Show me the way."

Her eyes dilate. She's hesitant at first, but her desire for survival is stronger than her shame. Her eyes lower as she turns from him. He supposes she expects him to buy it for her or maybe even steal it for her. Technically, his methods are theft just through deception rather than the discretion of sleight of hand.

The girl gestures with her eyes for him to follow. Ben follows behind her. He imagines she might not even believe him, but she's so desperate that she'll try anything. The life of day to day survival is a bleak existence. Ben cannot even begin to imagine the things this girl has witnessed and experienced.

The girl stops in front of a small line. Ben joins her by her side. She looks at him for a moment before facing her eyes forward.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she whispers.

The line clears. The girl steps forward and Ben follows. A grotesque creature looks to them from its stall. His eyes narrow down at Rey.

"Did you come to bother me with the same useless garbage you offered me this morning?" he snarls. "Or did you just come to beg?"

Her eyes cast down to her boots. The creature bares his teeth at her. The poor girl looks so humiliated and defeated.

Ben steps forward. He looks up to the creature. "The girl doesn't need anything to trade…"

" _The girl doesn't need anything to trade_ …" the creature repeats.

The girl's eyes light up as her jaw drops in awe. Ben looks to her. "What do you need?"

"Just two portions…"

He can see in her eyes that she wants more, but she feels too afraid to ask.

"You owe girl twenty portions…"

" _I owe the girl twenty portions…_ "

The girl is stunned as the ghastly creature pushes forward several packs. She rushes up to the counter and puts her hands on the grey packets.

"The girl needs a bag to carry these in…"

" _The girl needs a bag to carry these in…_ "

She turns away from the ration packets. Her eyes meet his. She has so many questions, but doesn't dare ask them. The creature hands Rey the bag and Ben helps her place the packets into the bag. He takes the bag in hand. He walks until they are a good distance away from the stall before handing the bag to her.

She takes them from him. "Thank you, whoever you are…"

"Ben," he says. "My name is Ben."

The girl smiles. "I'm Rey."

The girl's cheeks glow red as she looks to him. The apprehension she once felt seems to fade. "You're not from here, are you?"

" _Fortunately_ , no," Ben replies.

"It's...awful here. I won't deny it. I hate this place…" A bleak smile flashes on her lips as the two walk side by side. "Sometimes I go hungry for days. People here are out for themselves. They're just trying to survive. It's why you can't trust anyone here. They'll steal from you or sell you out, because they're starving just like everyone else. It's hard to forge lasting friendships or find any sort of companionship. It's...very lonely sometimes."

"Why do you stay?" Ben asks. "You don't seem happy here."

"Believe me, I wish I could leave," Rey says. "But, there are reasons that I stay."

Rey stops in front of small makeshift fountain of water. She sits on the rusted metal edge of the fountain and looks up to him. "What about you, Ben? Where are you from?"

Ben takes a seat next to her. "I'm from Chandrila."

"That's where the New Republic is?" her eyes seem to sparkle as she looks to him. " _Are you from the Resistance?_ "

"It's a little bit more complicated than that, but…"

Her eyes glow with a sense of wonder. "I've never met a resistance fighter before…"

Rey's knees move towards him as she shifts to face him. Her entire face seems to radiate with excitement. "How did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"That trick you did to Unkar Plutt?"

"So, that thing has a name?" Ben jests.

Rey giggles at his joke. "He does have a name, and _unfortunately_ , he controls this area. _But_ , tell me. How did you do that thing you did?"

"It's very difficult to explain," Ben pauses. "It's a trick of the mind passed down in my family."

Rey places her hands on her knees. She becomes quiet as her smile fades. He can feel her sudden sadness.

"You'll be leaving soon, then, to go back home to be with your family...?" her voice quivers as she speaks the last word.

"As soon as I acquire a means to leave, I must return, yes," he answers.

A soft sigh escapes her lips. "If you're not leaving tonight, you can stay with me."

Ben can feel a spark of hope mixed with the fear of rejection. He resists the urge to take her offer so suddenly. The bridge of trust is so fragile when it's first forged. If he looks to urgent, she could start to doubt his good intentions.

"You wouldn't mind…?" he asks.

"No one else lives there but me," she glances down at her bag of food. "And, I could make you food. It's the least I can do for you after you helped me."

Ben pauses for a moment before he looks to Rey. "It would have to be for one night, but after that, I must return home."

Rey looks up to him. He can feel all of her emotions pour from her. She feels _something_. Rey rises to her feet and offers him her hand. Ben looks to her hand and takes it. He feels her energy. He feels that _pull_. This place, this girl — all of it feels so _right_. He stands tall in and looks down at her. His hand is still locked with hers. He feels something, and she feels it too.

He feels her hand tighten around his before she releases it. The girl motions for him to follow. _This is where he is meant to be_. Not with the First Order, not with Snoke, but _here_ with _Rey._


End file.
